Adelphi, Md. (July 1, 2019) -- University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) is hosting the GenCyber 2019 Teacher Camp for high school teachers interested in cybersecurity curriculum development. The weeklong intensive program—sponsored by the National Security Agency and the National Science Foundation—is designed to improve teaching methods for the delivery of cybersecurity content in high school curricula.
“As the risk of cyber attacks and intrusions continues to rise, it is imperative that we develop a workforce with the skills needed to ensure the security of federal, state and local governments, the military, private industry and nonprofits against cyber threats,” said Loyce Pailen, director, Center for Security Studies at UMGC. “The upcoming GenCyber event will provide educators the tools they need to train and inspire the next generation of experts in the field who can identify and mitigate vulnerabilities,” she said.
The supply of cybersecurity professionals continues to fall far short of demand. According to the IT research firm Enterprise Strategy Group ESG, 53% of organizations reported a problematic shortage of cybersecurity skills for 2018-2019. In addition, cybersecurity is rarely taught in schools, even within computer science classes.
The GenCyber Teacher Camp is designed to promote best practices in cybersecurity pedagogy across content areas and the development of curricula and lesson plans that can be used to infuse cybersecurity principles across many subject areas. During the weeklong program, teachers will gain the tools and knowledge they need to provide their students with a basic understanding of cybersecurity. In this way, as students learn throughout their schooling and personal experiences, they will be better able to recognize the impact cybersecurity has on their lives, be it through social media, economic situations, or the devices we rely on every day.
The GenCyber Teacher Camp will take place in Largo, Maryland on July 8–12. Applications for the program, hosted by UMGC, are closed, but a full listing of camps and programs is available on the .
About University of Maryland Global Campus A pioneer in distance education since 1947, University of Maryland Global Campus is a world leader in innovative education models, with award-winning online programs in workforce-relevant areas such as cybersecurity, biotechnology, data analytics, and information technology. UMGC offers open access with a global footprint and a specific mission—to meet the learning needs of adult students whose responsibilities often include jobs, families, and military service. Today, UMGC is harnessing the power of learning science and technology to deliver high-quality education that is accessible, affordable and valued. UMGC is a constituent institution of the University System of Maryland (USM) and governed by the USM Board of Regents.
About GenCyber Camps The GenCyber program provides summer cybersecurity camp experiences for students and teachers at the K-12 level. The goals of the program are to increase interest in cybersecurity careers and diversity in the nation’s cybersecurity workforce, help all students understand correct and safe online behavior and how they can be good digital citizens, and improve teaching methods for delivery of cybersecurity content in K-12 curricula. The GenCyber program vision is to be part of the solution to the nation's shortfall of skilled cybersecurity professionals. Ensuring that enough young people are inspired to direct their talents in this area is critical to the future of our country's national and economic security as we become even more reliant on cyber-based technology in every aspect of our daily lives.
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